Football

Serie A: White smoke for presidency, Simonelli elected with 14 votes

20 December 2024

Ezio Maria Simonelli, presidente del Collegio dei Revisori della Lega di Serie A, al suo arrivo questo pomeriggio in Lega Calcio per l'assemblea elettiva del presidente, Milano, 20 dicembre 2012. ANSA/DANIELE MASCOLO

4' min read

Key points

Career
The electability question
For the other offices I will vote on 10 January.

4' min read

Ezio Maria Simonelli, who has just been elected as the new president of the Lega Serie A by the assembly of the 20 clubs, reaches the necessary 14 votes. Simonelli succeeds Lorenzo Casini, who decided not to run again for the leadership of the body that brings together the elite of Italian football, regulating its sporting and economic activities, particularly those related to TV rights.

The Career

A native of Macerata, born in 1958, he graduated in economics and commerce from the University of Perugia in 1980. He moved to Milan and in his role as an accountant collaborated with Silvio Berlusconi, becoming part - among other things - of the galaxy of companies that revolved around the former premier. He was also a member of the boards of statutory auditors of Mondadori and Mediaset, among others, before resigning in view of his election to the League's leadership. He also holds the role of chairman of the board of statutory auditors of the Sisal group. Of the Lega Serie A, Simonelli has already been regent, while he tried to run for the presidency of the Lega Serie B three years ago, coming out defeated. Only two voters expressed themselves in his favour, while 16 opted for the confirmation of Mauro Balata.

The federal election

The League that inherits Simonelli from Casini will weigh more in the FIGC Federal Council, after the approval of the new statute that gives Via Rosellini an extra councillor (from 3 to 4) and 30% of the electoral weight. The next challenge, also in view of the federal elections on 3 February 2025, will be to unite a League that has shown itself split in many of the latest crucial moments of the sports political debate. Not the least of which is the name the League will support in the race for the leadership of the Federcalcio in the next four-year Olympic period.

The FIGC president himself, Gabriele Gravina welcomed Simonelli's election: 'Best wishes for a good job to Ezio Simonelli, a serious and passionate person whom I greatly respect. His election represents an unquestionable sign of rediscovered harmony and serenity within the League, the current proactive climate I am sure will favour a new season of collaboration with the FIGC and all the federal components, with the aim of developing the full potential of Italian football'.

The electability issue

In the first vote, on 9 December, two camps had materialised, with the top clubs and American properties siding in favour of the only official candidate Ezio Maria Simonelli (who had garnered 13 votes) and the minority led by Lazio owner Claudio Lotito casting six blank ballots. One vote in the secret ballot box had been cast for Mario Draghi.

A legal question had been raised by some clubs regarding the legitimacy of Simonelli's candidature, who held at the time, in addition to other professional positions, that of chairman of the board of statutory auditors of Mediaset and statutory auditor of Mondadori, companies controlled by Fininvest, owner of Monza. With this in mind, former Lega President Lorenzo Casini asked Professor Natalino Irti for a legal opinion on how to assess the independence requirement of the Serie A Statute-Regulations (Articles 10 and 14). Article 10, which was approved at the time of the election of Gaetano Miccichè to the top management of Via Rosellini, in effect establishes that 'the president and the managing director must necessarily be independent', making room for an exception only for the president, if the election falls to a person who has relations 'with the clubs or their groups' by virtue of the function 'held in a private institution of national importance'. Irti's opinion ultimately stated that it was impossible to nominate as president anyone who was not already independent with respect to relations with club owners. And that this condition should not be superimposed on the 'compatibility' that can be obtained by divesting, after a possible favourable vote, the offices held.

It must be said that Simonelli had already declared before the shareholders' meeting that he was willing to renounce all assignments that were deemed to be harbingers of potential conflicts of interest. What's more, from his point of view, he would not have been required to do so, as he has always been responsible for auditing financial statements and governance (Simonelli has been a chartered accountant since 1982, specialising in auditing), functions characterised by third-party status and independence from company management. In any case, in the coming days the independence requirements set forth in the Articles of Association will be verified for the official proclamation.

For the other offices I will vote on 10 January

For all other positions, a vote was taken, without reaching the quorum required by the statute in second call. An empty call, in short, which will allow the quorum (at 11 votes) to be lowered from the next round. For these positions, among which is also the appointment of the new Lega Serie A CEO, a new assembly has been convened on 10 January.